Recent progress in nanotechnology allows one to combine nanoscale devices with bio-molecules to build versatile nano-bio devices with interesting functionalities. One example can be a bioelectronic nose device to smell specific odorants just like human noses.

In this work, we coated olfactory receptor proteins on carbon nanotube-based transistors to build bio-electronic noses which can imitate human sensory systems. In this device, the selective binding of specific odorant molecules to the receptor molecules altered the conductance of the underlyng carbon nanotube devices, enabling the detection of the odorant molecules simply by monitoring the currents in the carbon nanotube devices.

This presentation will discuss how nanostructure-based biosensor structures can be utilized to build various bioelectronic nose devices for versatile applications such as human-like artificial noses and airborne pathogen monitoring systems. Future prospect and possible applications of these devices also will be discussed.